Correct Jib Set Up

Kind of a newbie when it comes to jib sails, I've had a H14 before which we all know doesn't have a jib unless it's a turbo, now with a H16, I'm learning some new stuff here.
My question is, what is the proper or correct way to rig the the jib? I've sailed my boat only once since getting this past July, and I don't think I had the jib set up correctly. I have compared pics of the boat, I have a pic from the previous owner that shows the stripes on the main and jib are pretty well lined up and it looks like the forestay is very slack. In a current pic of my sailing the boat, my jib is lower than the main.
When I set it up at one time, I pulled the jib up so much that the forestay went very slack and thought I had done something wrong, so I backed off and lowered the jib until the forestay was tight again. I have the original assembly manual for my boat but I don't see anything pertaining to this. So, should the forestay be very slack when the jib is fully raised or not???

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Marty
1984 H16 Yellow Nationals Redline, "Yellow Fever"
Lake Martin, 'Bama.

You want the jib to be tight, it becomes the forestay when rigged properly, and tensions the boat, slack in the forestay is not an issue.
You do want some, in fact, the amount of slack in the forestay can be a good indicator of how much you may want to tighten up your jib after you have been sailing for a bit. ( it can loosen up ) If your in higher wind, and if the jibs leading edge is bowing under wind load, you need to tighten it up again. Don't go by adjusting the color lines of the jib and main. the jib, will be lower than the main when rigged If you have way to much slack in the forestay, when rigged up, you may want to consider adjusting your shrouds down a pin hole or two the next time before you rig up to sail, try to keep them in the same location on the adjusters from side to side.

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79 H16 #46803

Thank you for the response, it was very helpful. I'm going to set the boat up a few times in the back yard in the next week or two, then hopefully will get a chance to hit the water soon.

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Marty
1984 H16 Yellow Nationals Redline, "Yellow Fever"
Lake Martin, 'Bama.

A tip that might help when rigging up, if it applies. If your mast has halyard clips for the main and jib (usually located about halfway up or better, on each side of the mast) used to keep the halyards out of the way' so the jib can pass from port to starboard and vice versa when sailing with out hang up on either halyard.
I have found, if I rig my jib first, then my main, its easier to get the halyard into the clip. depending on your orientation to the wind, and if your main is swaying back and forth, because your bows are facing into the wind, it can be a bit of a pain to get it into that clip.
At that point, it is easier to rig jib, but not with tension , then rig the main, down haul it, then put your tension on the jib halyard ( its already in the H-clip )
And yes, you can tighten it up, out on the water, solo sailing, if it loosens or stretches, to the point of needing the tension put back in it. If your boat has a telescoping tiller handle,(extend it) maintain a heading into the wind, to a stall position, ( sheets out ) be up there at the port side of the mast, depending how windy it is, will determine how aggressive, you will have to be at getting it done. or sail up to the source, cove, real shallow water ( so you can get out, and hold the boat also) or reasonably calm area, to make your adjustment.
Some 16's I have seen, do not have the halyard clips on the mast. If yours does not, they are a worth while asset to have, you can get them, Hobie dealer, etc, they are not expensive.
By the way, Welcome to the Hobie Forums, By all means, if your not sure about something, need answers, or whatever. Post ( and with pics to, if it can help ) Alot of good people here, with alot of experience..... Try to do a "Search" first, The archives of former posts, have a wealth of knowledge, and many things have been covered , also check out the Hobie FAQs pages

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79 H16 #46803

Without halyard clips, you can tie the jib halyard back with a small line, to the downhaul. That will keep the jib halyard from interfering with the jib battens. The main halyard will not be a problem if you pass it behind the starboard shroud before cleating it to the mast.

I actually coil up the jib halyard and leave enough line at the end to use it as the short line holding the halyard back to the downhaul.

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Howard

I placed my jib halyard grip about 70" below the bottom hole of the mast tang and the rivet holes for the jib halyard grip are 2" from the edge of the sail's luff track. This puts it somewhere near the top batten of the jib.

I also have a main halyard grip (located a similar height of the jib halyard, but located closer to the mast's luff track). I also place my main halyard behind the starboard shroud before tying it off on it's cleat. After I tie off the downhaul on it's cleat, I take the last foot of the downhaul line to pull the main halyard back to the downhaul cleat and then finish tying it off to the downhaul cleat. Another way is to loop the main halyard around the downhaul cleat before you tie it off to it's own cleat. Either way pulls the main halyard back far enough so the jib battens don't hit it.

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Tim
84 H16
82 H16
87 H14T
Tortola Sails: 115222
Blue Prism Sails: 88863
Clearwater, FL

Watch this vid!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxZ7NEyxr0g

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1980 H16

Yep, I've seen that video a few times, I guess I must've always missed the part where he says the forestay will go loose. Very informative video. I now also know that I had my forestay too tight as I had it shackled in about the 4th or 5th hole on the adjuster instead of the top hole.
Thank you for sharing the video.

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Marty
1984 H16 Yellow Nationals Redline, "Yellow Fever"
Lake Martin, 'Bama.

The forestay is only there to hold the mast up till you get the jib up. Really makes no difference where you shackle it...the side shrouds are what sets the rake of the mast.

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1980 H16

Ditto.

One time when I was setting up, the guy who picked the hole didn't have any idea what he was doing and it ended up in the top hole. When I raised the jib, I swear the thing had a foot or so of droop in it. Had someone who'd never been out on a Cat with me and she noticed about an hour into the sail that this forestay was flopping around like a dying fish and nearly had a cow. I had to explain it wasn't doing a thing at that point and had been like that since we pushed off from shore.

Once the jib is up, the forestay is decoration, until you lower the jib.

Jim Clark-Dawe

Thanks for the very helpful clarification. I've had the 16 for only a few months, and although I am familiar with H14s, I am having to learn some new things with this H16.

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Marty
1984 H16 Yellow Nationals Redline, "Yellow Fever"
Lake Martin, 'Bama.